Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



ROBERTSON '& SIMPSON.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm. No'. 14,258- Patented Feb 12,.1856.'

NPEIHRS. FROTO-LITMOGRAPHER. WASHINGYDN u C Fig. 3,at C,we cut out a the charge.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WM. H. ROBERTSON AND GEO. W. SIMPSON, OF HARTFORD,

CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECHgLOADlNG FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 1,253, dated February 12, 1856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. ROBERT- soN and GEORGE W. SIMPsoN, both of the city of Hartford, county of Hartford, and the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in the Method of Constructing Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and we do hereby declare that the following is a correct description of the same, reference being had -to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of our invention consists in an external sliding breech and a method of preventing the escape of the gas created by the explosion of the charge.

The drawings are a plan of the breech part of a rifle, showing our improvement.

Figure 1 is a side view showing the breech open to receive the charge,- Fig. 2, a side view of same when closed; Fig. 3, a View of the top part when open and showing the entrance to the chamber round which the thin flexible gas-check is fixed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make I and use our invention, we will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The fire-arms for which this improvement is intended are of the usual construction.

The barrel A in the plan is of an octagon shape, made solid and in the usual manner, and attached permanently to the stock B. The barrel is made slightly tapering, so that the sliding socketE may move freely forward, and when brought back to its seat home it will fit firm and tight. On the top part of portion of the barrel down to the bore, to form a chamber to receive The shape of this chamber-opening is as shown at C, the back part being made larger than the front part for the convenience of putting in the cartridge or charge with the thumb, and is made a little tapering forward to enlarge the bottom, so that it will more readily retain the cartridge when put in. On the opening, at the top of this chamber C, we attach permanently a thin piece of steel or other suitable metal, D, projecting a small distance all round over the opening. The part that projects over is beveled to a sharp edge,to allow it to be flexible and spring outward by the concussion of the discharge. By so doing it is forced and pressed suddenly against the joint of the sliding socket, covering the same and making it completely tight and gas-proof so that no escape of gas can possibly occur or pass to foul the joint, also adding more force to the explosion. This chamber can also be milled out of the solid by machinery to the proper form and leaving the thin flexible projection round the outer part, as before stated.

The sliding socket-breech Eis made of suflicient strength to resist the force of the explo- .sion of the charge, and is permanently connected with the part of the stock F, which slides with the same when operated by the levers and arrangements of the socket in the joint is a small tongue'or projection, G. which fits into a groove or recess in the fixed part closed, making a firm, tight joint.

The single and compound levers and the lock arrangements that operate the sliding breech, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, can be varied in form, as the case may require, the principle and movements of the same not being new.

WVe confine ourselves principally to the method of constructing the external sliding breech and to the flexible spring-check to prevent the passage or escape of the gas created by the explosion of the charge. This same check can be used in the breech of all kinds of breech-loading fire-arms.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

and operated in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and de scribed.

WM. VINE,

CHAS. R. CHAPMAN.

H. At the rear part of the breech when 1. The sliding socketbreech, constructed 2. The flexible spring-check to prevent the 

